Piano-key sanding and polishing machine



Dec. 2 1,519,425

- TFR. WALKER ET AL PIANO SANDING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9,1923 i I jrwenloz j iii any 5. fifany 77wma: E, Walker.

' attoz um Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

THOMAS E. WALKER AND HARRY 1B. li'IANBY, O'F DENVER, COLORADO.

PIANO-KEY SANDING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

Application filed January 9, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS E. W LKER and HARRY B. MANBY, citizens ofthe United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and Stateof Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPiano-Key Sanding and Polishing Machines; and we do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the char acters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to sanding and polishing machines and has specialreference to a machine for finishing piano and organ keys.

In manufacturing and repairing keys for pianos and organs, it isnecessary to cover the end and one side with ivory, which consists ofthin sheets that are secured in place by glue or other suitable cement.After the ivory is secured in place, it is necessary to finish thesurfaces and to polish the same.

Our invention relates to a sanding ma chine that is especially designedfor the purpose of grinding, sanding and polishing keys, and consists,generally speaking, of a rotatable grinder, which is employed inremoving the projecting edges of the ivory, two sanding belts ofdifferent coarseness, and a polishing belt, together with means fortightening the belts and for readily removing and replacing the same.

In order to more clearly describe our invention, we shall have referenceto the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a plan view of ourimproved sanding and polishing machine;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 2 inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4, Fig. l, and shows how one bearingblock may be removed so as to permit the removal and replacement of thebelts;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a section similar to section 3, but showing a portion of themachine for the purpose of better illustrating the adjusting means.

The same reference characters will be used Serial No. 611,550.

to designate the same parts throughout the several views.

Numeral 1 represents the base of the machine and is substantiallyrectangular and provided at one corner with a projecting portion 2,which serves as a guide for a sliding table 3, the function of whichwill hereinafter appear. The base 1 is formed with downwardly extendingflanges 4, which serve to give it greater rigidity and has diagonalbracing members 5. Holes 6 are provided for the purpose of securing thebase to a bench. A bearing block 7 is secured to the base by anysuitable means and provided near the front end thereof with a bearingfor the end 8 of the shaft 9. Near the other end of the base we providea bearing block 10, which is removably held in place by bolt 11. Anopening is provided near one end of block 10, and this serves as abearing for the reduced end 12 of shaft 9. Secured to the top of bearingblock 7 by means of screws 18 is a supporting and guiding plate 14,which is provided on its upper surface with three parallel spacedgrooves 15, and on its lower surface with two spaced longitudinal ribs16 and 17. One end of the guiding plate 14 is secured to the top of thebearing block 10 by means of the bolt 11. By removin the bolt 11, theblock 10 can be removed, as shown in Fig. 4. This permits the belts 18,19 and 20 to be removed and replaced.

The belts 18 and 19 are sanding belts of different degrees ofcoarseness. Belt 18 is coarser than belt 19 and serves as the maincutting belt, while the finer belt 19 is employed for smoothing, whilebelt 20 is a felt polishing belt. Idlers 21 are mounted on shaft22,'which rotate in bearings 23 supported on the outer ends of rods 24,which are slidably connected with the rib 17 and have nuts 25, whichhave a portion 26 of reduced diameter that co-operates with a propersized opening in the rib 16. It is evident that by rotating the nut 25,the rod 24 can be reciprocated for the purpose of tightening andloosening the belts. There is one idler for each belt and two rods 24,nuts 25 and bearings 23, so that each belt may be independentlyadjusted. On the end 8 of shaft 9 we secure a circular grinding member27' and a belt wheel 28. The outer surface of the grinding member 27 iscovered with sandpaper 29. A suitable motor is belted to wheel 28 andserves to rotate the grinder 27 and the belts 18, 19 and 20. The sidesof the grooves 15 serve as guides for the belts and the bottom of thegrooves as supports therefor. The upper surface of the projectingportion 2 has outwardly inclined guiding surfaces 30, which co-operatewith corresponding surfaces on the flanges 31 on the bottom of the table3 (Fig. 5). Table 3 can be slid towards and away from the grindingsurface of the wheel 27 by means of a screw 32, which is rotatably butnon-slidably mounted in the downwardly extending rib 33 of table 3, andwhich has a threaded con nection with the transverse rib 34 of part 2.By rotating the bolt 32 by means of the knob 85, the table 3 may bemoved to the position desired. The inner edge of table 3 is providedwith an upstanding flange 86, which serves as a stop for the key orother material that is operated upon. On the upper surface of table 3,we provide a guide 37, which is pivotally attached to the table by meansof a bolt 38. A pin 39 serves as a stop for the A guide 37 and holds thesame at right angles to the flange 36.

WVhen the ivory has been glued to the end and side of the key, thelatter is laid upon the table 3, and with one side guided by the member37, it is pushed against the rotating wheel 27. The guide is then swungout of the way and the sides of the key are ground away as required. lVhen the ivory has been trimmed, the key is transferred to v the belt18, where it is sanded. It is then Y bination.

From the above, it will appear that we have devised a machine that isparticularly well adapted for use in connection with piano and organmanufacture andrepair; that is of a. simple and substantialconstruction; that can be readily assembled and is adapted to befastened to a workbench.

Having now described our invention, what claim as new is:

1. A sanding and polishing machine comprising, in comb-inz-ition, abase, a pair of spaced bearing blocks secured thereto, a shaft rotatablymounted in each of said blocks near one end thereof, a plate supportedby said blocks, said plate having a plurality of parallel guide groovesin its upper surface, said plate having also a clownwardly projectingflange along one edge and another similar flange parallel with the firstmentioned flange and spaced therefrom, said flanges each having a pairof holes corspaced bearing blocks secured thereto, a

shaft rotatably mounted in each of said blocks near one end thereof, aplate supported by said blocks, said plate having a plurality ofparallel guide grooves in its upper surface, said plate having also adownwardly projecting flange along one edge and another similar flangeparallel with the first mentioned flange and spaced therefrom, saidflanges each having a pair; of holes corresponding to each guide groove,a rod slidably mounted in corresponding holes in each flange, a bearingsecured to corresponding ends of each rod, an idler pulley rotatablymounted between adjacent bearings, a. belt extending about each idlerpulley and about the shaft, each belt having one side positioned in aguide groove, a nut on each bolt, said nut engaging one side of one ofsaid flanges for the purpose of holding the bolt from sliding in saidholes, a projecting po rtion on said base, a table slidable on saidprojecting portion, means comprising a screw for adjusting said table onsaid proj ecting portion, and a grinding wheel mounted on the shaft androtatable in a plane perpendicular to the table.

A sanding and polishing machine comprising, in combination, a base, apair of spaced bearing blocks secured thereto, a shaft rotatably mountedin a each of said blocks near one end thereof, a plate supported by saidblocks, said plate having a plurality of parallel guide grooves in itsupper surface, said plate having also a downwardly projecting flangealong one edge and another similar flange parallel with the firstmentioned flange and spaced therefrom, said flanges each having a pairof holes corresponding to each guide groove, a rod slidably mounted incorresponding holes in each flange, a bearing secured tocorrespondingends of each rod, an idler pulley rotatably mounted between adjacentbearings, a belt extending about each idler pulley and about the shaft,each belt having one side positioned in a guide groove, a nut on eachbolt, said'nut engaging one side of one of said flanges for the purposeof holding the bolt from sliding in said holes, a projecting portion onsaid base, a table slidable on said projecting portion, means comprisinga screw for adjusting said table on said projecting portion, a flangealong one edge of said table, and a grinding Wheel mounted on the shaft,said Wheel being rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of thetable.

4:. A grinding and polishing machine comprising, in combination, a pairof blocks, each having a bearing in one end, a shaft rotatable in saidbearings, a plate supported from said blocks and having a plurality ofparallel guide grooves in one surface, an idler pulley corresponding toeach guide groove, and a belt passing around each of said pulleys andsaid shaft and having one side thereof cooperatively related to theguide groove.

5. A grinding and polishing machine comprising, in combination, a. pairof blocks, each having a bearing in one end, a shaft rotatable in saidbearings, a plate supported from said blocks and having a plurality ofparallel guide grooves in one surface, an idler pulley corresponding toeach guide groove, a belt passing around each of said pulleys and saidshaft and having one side thereof cooperatively related to the guidegroove, and means for adjusting the tension of said belts.

6. A grinding and polishing machine comprising, in con'ibination, a pairof blocks, each having a bearing in one end, a shaft rotatable in saidbearings, a plate supported from said blocks and having a plurality ofparallel guide grooves in one surface, an idler pulley corresponding toeach guide groove, a belt passing around each of said pulleys and saidshaft and having one side thereof cooperatively related to the guidegroove, and means for adjusting the tension of said belts, one of saidblocks being readily removable so as to facilitate the applying and theremoval of the belts.

7. A sanding and polishing machine having a plurality of substantiallyparallel belts, a common drive shaft for the same, means forindependently adjusting said belts, and means comprising a groovedmemher for guiding said belt.

8. A sanding and polishing machine having a plurality of endless beltsarranged in parallel relation, and means for guiding said belts forsupporting the same and for preventing grit and sand from passing fromone belt to the other, said means comprising a grooved plate.

9. A sanding and polishing machine comprising a base, a pair of spacedbearing blocks secured; thereto, a shaft pivotally mounted in saidblocks, a supporting member secured to said bearings, a plurality ofidlers adjustably secured to the supporting member, means for adjustingthe idlers, belts from the shaft to the idlers, and means for guidingthe belts, one of said bearing blocks being removable to permit thebelts to be removed and replaced.

In, testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

THOMAS E. l VALKER. HARRY B. MANBY.

